Packing material



March 24, 1942- T. H. ALFRED PACKING MATERIAL Filed July 1 2Sheets-Sheet 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 24, 1942 PACKING MATERIALTorr-is H. Alfreds, Park Ridge, 111., assignor to Mapes ConsolidatedManufacturing Company,

Griflith, lnd., a corporation of Delaware I Application July 3, 1939,Serial No. 282,602

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in packing material and itconsists of the matters hereinafter described and more particularlypointed out in the appended claims. terial illustrated and describedherein is especially adapted for use in connection with so-calledcellular fillers for packing eggs in a conventional egg case.

The conventional egg case of commerce is generally made to standarddimensions and takes the form of an open top box with a transversepartltion dividing the case into two compartments each substantially 1252 inches deep and 11 /2 inches square. hold dozen eggs arranged in fivetiers or layers of 3 dozen each and whereby the case has a capacity of30 dozen eggs with an average weight of about 52 lbs. Such a packed caseusually includes a cover for the open top thereof and which cover isnailed at its ends to the ends of the case.

Heretofore, it has been the practice to provide a specially constructedpad for both the'top and bottom of each compartment, to protect the eggsin the associated layers in connection with different types of pads forthe intermediate layers of eggs. As an example of the pads used at thetop and bottom of each compartment, reference is made to the De ReamerPatent 1,954,586 of April 10, 1934, and as an example of theintermediate pads reference is made to the Koppelman and Cooper Patent1,429,207 of September 12, 1922.

Each compartment is adapted to The packing ma- -With an egg case packedwith the patented pads above mentioned, the packer is required to stocktwo different types of pads and in a case packed with such pads, theweight of the eggs, pads and cellular fillers is all imposed upon thebottom pad. Therefore, this pad had to be made relatively deep, thick orof such vertical dimensions from top to bottom to enable it to supportthe weight of the eggs, pads and fillers above, without crushing. Thepad of the previously mentioned De Reamer patent functioned ably in thisrespect, but its vertical dimensions are such as to prohibit its usebetween the several layers or tiers of eggs in a standard egg casebecause they would cause the top layer of eggs to project above the topof the case to such an extent as to prevent the application of the usualcover.

Among the objects of the present invention is to provide a pad which canbe used throughout the case from top to bottom, which provides acushioning action between the adjacent layers and which requires that apacker stock only a single type of pad.

Again it is an object of the invention toprovide apad in which portionsthereof are adapted to receive a cooperating filler in such interlockingrelationship as will prevent undesired shifting of the filler relativeto the pad and also furnish additional area to support the filler.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pad of this kind havinga novel seat structure for the eggs, which not only provides ventilationfor the bottom of the eggs engaged thereon but includes parts sodisposed that certain thereof provide partial support for eggs inadjacent cells of the filler used with the pad.

A further object of the invention is to provide a pad of this kindwherein the parts that form the seats for the eggs are so disposed thata trussed cross sectional shape is present along a straight line acrossthe pad in any direction thereof whereby the pad is strengthened toresist bending strains and the tendency to warp so that the pad remainsin a uniformly flat condition.

The above mentioned objects of the invention, as well as others,together with the several advantages thereof will more fully appear asthe specification proceeds.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view on a full size scale, of the egg receiving side ofsubstantially a quarter corner fragment of the improved pad.

Fig. 2 is a detail, full size vertical, sectional view through the padfragment shown in Fig. 1, the plane of the section being taken on theline 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is another full size vertical sectional view through the padfragment appearing in Fig. 1, as taken on the line -33 thereof.

Fig. 4 is also a full size vertical sectional view through the pad astaken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

- Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of an egg case packed with theimproved pads and associated fillers, a part of the side of the casebein broken away better to disclose the invention.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view through one end of the packed eggcase, before the cover has been applied and illustrates moreparticularly the overage or excess in height of the stack of pads andfillers over the depth of the egg case compartment containing the stack.

Fig. 7 is a view similarto Fig. 6 and shows the stack as having yieldedin height to approximate the depth of the associated compartment as whenthe associated end of the cover has been nailed in position to closesaid compartment.

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view through the top portion of one endof the case with the cover in its closed position and shows the topmostpad in the stack as reversed face-for-face to arrange the egg receivingside f the pad downward.

The improved packing material in this instance is illustrated asemployed in connection with standard cellular fillers in a standard eggcase. Such a case, which is indicated as a whole at I0, is generallymade of wood veneer and cleats, to include sides ends l2, 9. bottom l3,and a central transverse partition l4 which divides the case into twoopen top compartments. A cover I is included as a part of the case andsaid cover, when it is nailed at its ends to the ends l2 of the case,closes the open top ends of the compartments. Ordinarily such a cover isnot nailed to the transverse partition.

The compartments of the egg case have a standard dimension, beingapproximately 12 inches deep and about 11 inches square.

The cellular fillers employed are of the standard unitary folding,interlocking strip type. Each unit comprises two sets of seven stripseach, and which strips are indicated at It. These strips are all of thesame length and height and approximate 11 /2 inches in length and 23/inches in height. When said units are opened up into cellular form, theyeach provide 36 egg receiving cells each approximately 1% inches square.Five of such cellular fillers are employed in each compartment of thecase so that each compartment holds 15 dozen eggs, giving a capacity of30 dozen of eggs for the case.

|1 indicates as a whole, one of the improved cushion pads, there beingsix of such pads used in each egg case compartment or twelve to thecase. Such pads are arranged one on the bottom, one on the top, withfour intermediate the fillers to coact therewith in forming a stack ofpacked tiers.

Each pad H, which is a scant 11 inches square, is preferably made ofmolded pulp and it includes a sheet-like body l8 about 1 of an inchthick that has rounded corners. Rising from the top or egg receivingside of the pad are circular projections l9 arranged in rows extendingboth longitudinally and transversely of the pad, each projectionconsisting of an upwardly and inwardly tapering side wall 20 and a flattop 2|. These projections are arranged on lines spaced 1% inches apart,so as to accord with the spacing between the strips of the fillers andare disposed so as to coincide axially with the intersections of thestrips l6 of the filler. The top surface of the top wall of eachprojection is spaced of an inch above the bottom surface of thesheet-like body.

22 indicates other circular projections rising from the same side of thepad and disposed in the lines of the projections l9, one beingpositioned midway between each two adjacent projections l9. As theseprojections 22 are disposed in the plane'of the axes of the projectionsl9, they are also disposed in the plane of those parts of the fillerstrips between the intersections thereof.

The projections 22 are of a diameter and height greater than thediameter and height of the projections l9 and each projection 22includes an'inwardly and upwardly extending annular side wall 23. In thetop end portion of each projection 22 is a groove 24 having inwardly anddownwardly tapering or extending side walls 25 and a bottom 26, thelatter being disposed in the plane of the top wall 2| of the projectionsl9. With this arrangement, the top or inlet end of each groove is widerthan its bottom 26.

The grooves 24 in the projections 22 in each row thereof beginning alongone side of the pad, extend longitudinally in the direction of said sideand the grooves in the projections 22 in each I row beginning alonganother side of the pad arranged at a right angle to the first mentionedside, extend longitudinally in the direction of said other side. Withthis arrangement, the projections I9 and 22 in any row thereof extendingin both directions of the pad, are disposed in alternate relation asbest appears in Fig. 1.

As the bottom wall 26 of each groove 24 is disposed in the plane of thetop wall 2| of the projections IS, the top surface of the wall 26 isspaced A of an inch above the bottom surface of the body It. As shown inthis particular instance, the grooves 24 are of an inch deep andtherefore the top end of the projections 22 is spaced of an inch abovethe bottom surface of the body I8. These dimensions appear in Fig. 3.

With the projections 22 arranged as above described, they are disposedwith their opposite sides, one in each cell of the filler. Thus thereare parts of each four adjacent projections arranged within the area ofeach cell and each part functions to provide a partial support for theegg placed in the cell.

A pad made as described, has the advantage that at no line across thepad, in any direction thereof, does any one part thereof extend clearacross the pad in the same plane. Thus, a cross section, taken on a linethrough any direction of the pad, present a number of connected togethertrusses that materially stiffen the pad. Therefore, the improved cushionpad is not limp but is relatively stiff and strong for its weight andmay be handled without bending along any line extending in any directionacross the pad. Again, a pad constructed in this manner is advantageousbecause in the molding of the same, distortion i prevented and whichdistortion usually occurs when there are lines or grooves extending fromside to side of the pad in the same plane. Other advantages will beevident from the description of the use of the pad with the fillers.

In packing a case III with the improved pad, in connection with thestandard or conventional filler before mentioned, a pad is placed in thebottom of each compartment, with that side of the pad with theprojections thereon uppermost. The area of contact between each pad andthe bottom of the compartment, in which it is located, will be that areaas defined by the bottom surface of the sheet-like body. As thearrangement of the projections l9 and 22 is the same about the foursides of the pad and as the arrangement of the grooves 24 in the rows ofprojections I9 is a right angular one, no care need be taken in placingthe pad in its compartment with a certain side thereof disposed in aparticular relation to a certain side of the compartment.

A cellular filler is then expanded or opened into its rectangular cellforming condition and placed upon the pad at the bottom of eachcompartment of the case. When such fillers have been placed in position,the bottom edges of the intersecting portions of the strips of thefiller will engage upon the top wall 2| of the projections I9 and thebottom edges of the strips between said intersecting portions willengage upon the bottom walls 26 of the grooves 24 of the projections 22.It is apparent therefore that the bottom edges of the filler strips aresupported upon the surfaces 2| and 26. Hence there is such adequatesupport that danger of the filler cutting through the supports isavoided. Also because the edges of the strips are received in thegrooves of members 22, an interlocking relationship is established,preventing undue shifting of the fillers.

As will be apparent from Fig. 1, opposite par of the side walls 23 ofeach projection will be disposed in adjacent cells, and there will befour of such side wall parts in each cell and with which an egg placedin said cell will engage as upon a four point seat. When the cells haveeach received an egg, the first tier or layer in each compartment isconstituted. As the bottom edges of the strips of the filler are spacedabove the plane of the sheet portion, air may circulate over each padand about and between the said projections l9 and 22 thereon.

Another pad I 1 is then placed in each compartment upon the top edges ofthe first applied filler, at which time the bottom surface of the mainbody portion between said projections I 9 and 22 engage directly uponthe top edges of the strips of the filler below. Thereafter anotherfiller is arranged in position in each compartment upon the second padtherein and which fillers receive the eggs in the cells thereof and eachof which eggs engages upon the walls 23 of the four projections 22having parts disposed in each cell, to form the second tier or layer ofthe stack being built up in each compartment.

The third, fourth and fifth tiers or layers are built up in eachcompartment and a pad is then placed upon the topmost filler in saidcompartment. If the eg s are of the ordinary size the last pad is placedin position with the egg receiving side up. This provides in eachcompartment a stack of filler tiers or layers in each compartmentcomprising six top, bottom and intermediate pads and five alternatefillers. Each of'the first five pads has an effective depth equal tothat of the distance between the bottom surface of the body portion andthe top surface of the walls 2| of the projections 19 and the bottomwalls 26 of the grooves 24 in the projections 22. As indicated, thedistance is A of an inch. The sixth pad has an effective depth equal tothe height of the projections 22 and which is of an inch, and as each ofthe five filler strips has a depth of 2 inches, the effective height ofthe stack is the total of five times A of an inch plus five times 2%inches plus of an inch which makes 13 inches for the height of the stackoverall in the example illustrated.

As the compartments in which these stacks are arranged have a depth of12 inches as before mentioned, it is apparent that the stack projectsabove the top of the case the diiference between 13%; inches and 12 /2inches or of an inch before the cover is applied to the case to closethe compartments.

This means that there is an overage between the height of the stack andthe depth of the compartment in which it is located and which overagemust be taken up when the lid or cover for the case is applied thereto.The lid or cover is attached by driving nails through the ends 'there ofinto the ends of the case so that the cover bows slightly at its middleto be spaced above the top of the partition I4 of the case.

When the cover is brought home into compartment closing position on thecase, a compression force is applied to each stack which is absorbed bythe egg spacing material in the various layers.

When relatively large eggs constitute the majority of the eggs packed insaid compartments,

the topmost pad is placed in said compartment with the projections l9and 22 facing upwardly which is in the same direction as in the otherfive pads below as shown in Fig. 6.

However, when the eggs in the top layer are relatively small, if desiredthe pad at the top of the stack may be reversed to face said projectionsdownwardly so that the side walls 23 of the projections 22 comesubstantially close to the top ends of the eggs in the top layer. Thisreduces the height of the stack V of an inch and which is equal to theheight of the projections l9 and the bottom wall 26 of the grooves inthe projections 22.

The improved construction eliminates the necessity of the use of morethan one kind of pad in a case. It does not require a new mode ofmanipulation in packing or unpacking an egg case nor does it require aparticular arrangement of the pads in the case, by the person doing thepacking. 7

Another advantage of the present arrangement over packing methodsheretofore employed is that the cushioning effect is distributedthroughout the stack and not concentrated primarily in the bottomcushion pad as before. Hence, there is less danger of egg breakage.

While in describing the invention I have referred in detail to the form,arrangement, construction of the various parts employed, the same is tobe considered only in the illustrative sense so that I do not wishto belimited thereto except as may be specifically pointed out in theappended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A packing material in the form of a cushion pad for use in connectionwith intersecting strip type of cellular fillers and embodying therein asheet-like body portion and a plurality of projections rising from andso spaced upon one side of the body portion that when a cellular filleris engaged upon said side of said body portion, said projections aredisposed in the planes of the strips of the filler and certain thereofhave parts extending into the area of adjacent cells to provide afour-point support for the articles placed in said adjacent cells asformed by said strips of said filler, said projections having depressedtop end portions to receive the bottom edge portions of the strips ofsaid filler in a manner providing support therefor.

2. A packing material in the form of a cushion pad for use in connectionwith intersecting strip type of cellular fillers and embodying therein asheet-like body portion and a plurality of projections rising from andso spaced upon one side of the body portion that when a cellular filleris engaged upon said side of said body portion,

said projections are disposed in the planes of the portions of thestrips of said filler to support the same.

3. A packing material in the form of a cushion pad for use in connectionwith intersecting strip type of cellular fillers and embodying therein asheet-like body portion and a plurality of relatively high projectionsrising from and so spaced upon one side of the body portion that when acellular filler is engaged upon said side of said body portion, saidprojections are disposed in the planes of the strips of said filler,said projections 1 being so formed that at least certain of them providepartial support for the articles placed in adjacent cells as formed bysaid strips of the filler, said projections each having a depression inthe upper end thereof to provide partial support for said strips of saidfiller, and other and lower projections also rising from the same sideof the body portion and having top portions disposed in the plane of thebottom of said depression and adapted to provide additional support forsaid strips of said filler.

4. A packing material in the form of a cushion pad for use in connectionwith intersecting strip type of cellular fillers and embodying therein asheet-like body portion and a plurality of projections rising from andso spaced upon one side of the body portion that when a cellular filleris engaged upon said side of the body portion, said projections aredisposed in the planes of the strips of said filler, said projectionsbeing so formed that at least certain of them have parts extending intothe area of adjacent cells to provide a four point support for thearticles placed in said adjacent cells as formed by said strips of saidfiller and provide partial support for said strips of said filler, andother projections also rising from the same side of the body portion anddisposed in the planes of the intersections of said strips for providingadditional support for said strips of said filler.

5. A packing material in the form of a cushion pad for use in connectionwith intersecting strip type of fillers and embodying therein asheetlike body portion and a plurality of projections rising from and sospaced upon one side of the sheet-like body portion that when a cellularfiller is engaged upon said side of said body portion, said projectionsare disposed in the planes of the strips of said filler, certain of saidprojections being so formed as to provide partial support for thearticles placed in adjacent cells as formed by said strips of saidfiller, some of said certain projections having grooves in their topportions extending in one direction of the sheet and others of saidcertain projections having grooves in their top ends extending in adirection at a right angle to the first mentioned direction, saidgrooves in said certain projections being adapted to receive the bottomedge portion of the strips of saidfiller to provide a support forcertain parts of said strips, and means also rising from the same sideof the body portion, also in said planes of said filler strips andterminating in substantially the plane of the bottom of said grooves andproviding support for certain other parts of said strips.

6. A packing material in the form of a cushion pad for use in connectionwith intersecting strip type of cellular fillers and embodying therein asheet-like body portion and a plurality of projections rising from andso spaced from one side of the body portion that when a cellular filleris engaged upon said side of said body portion, said projections aredisposed in the planes of the strips of said filler, certain of saidprojections being so formed as to provide partial support for tharticles placed in adjacent cells as formed by said strips of saidfiller, said certain projections having inwardly and downwardly taperinggrooves in their top portions, the grooves in some of said certainprojections extending in one direction of the pad and the grooves in theother of said certain projections extending in a direction at a rightangle to the first mentioned ones, said grooves being adapted to receiveportions 01 said strips of said fillers to provide support therefor.

7. A packing material in the form of a cushion pad for use in connectionwith intersecting strip type of cellular fillers and embodying therein asheet-like body portion and a plurality of projections rising from andso spaced upon one side of th body portion that when a cellular filleris engaged upon said side of said body portion, said projectionsaredisposed in the planes of the strips of said filler, certain of saidprojections being formed to provide partial support for the articlesplaced in adjacent cells as formed by said strips of said filler, saidcertain projections having inwardly and downwardly tapering grooves intheir top portions, the grooves in some of said certain projectionsextending in one direction of the pad and th grooves in the other ofsaid certain projections extending in a direction at a right angle tothe first mentioned ones, and other projections also rising frOm thesame side of said body and disposed in the planes of the intersectionsof the strips of said filler and each having a top disposed in the planeof the bottom of the grooves in said certain projections for the supportof th intersecting portions of said strips of said filler.

8. A packing material in the form of a cushion pad for use in connectionwith intersecting strip type of cellular fillers and embodying therein asheet-like body portion, and projections rising from one side of thebody portion and disposed in rows extending in two directions of thepad, certain of said projections having grooves in their top endsextending in one of said directions of the pad and others of saidprojections having grooves in their top ends extending in the other ofsaid directions of the pad, and other projections rising from the sameside of the pad and disposed between and in line with the projections inthe first mentioned rows thereof, the top of said other projectionsbeing disposed in substantially the plane of the bottom of said grooves.

9. An egg case assembly comprising alternate cushion pads andintermediate cell forming fillers arranged in layers one abov the other,said fillers comprising sets of intersecting strips of the same height,each pad embodying therein a sheetlike body portion with a plurality ofright angled rows of spaced apart relatively high projections risingfrom one side of the body portion in the planes of the filler strips,said projections being so formed that parts of adjacent ones aredisposed in each cell formed by the strips to coact in supporting thearticles disposed in each cell, said projections being formed to receivethe bottom edge portions of the strips of the filler above, Mlth thebottom surface of the sheet-like body portion engaging upon the topedges of the strips of the filler below and other relatively lowprojections also rising from the same side of the body portion of eachpad and disposed in the planes of and engaged by the intersections ofthe strips of the tiller above.

10. An egg case assembly comprising alternate cushion pads andintermediate cell forming fillers arranged in layers one above theother, said fillers comprising sets of intersecting strips of the sameheight, each pad embodying therein a sheet-like body portion with aplurality of right angled rows of spaced apart relatively highprojections rising from one side of the body portion in the planes ofthe filler strips, said projections being so formed that parts ofadjacent ones are disposed in each cell formed by the strips to coact insupporting the articles disposed in each cell,

said projections being formed with grooves in their top portionsextending in the directions of said strips for receiving the bottomportions of the strips of the filler above in supporting engagement, thebottom surface of certain of said pads engaging upon the top edges ofthe strips of the filler below and other and lower projections risingfrom the same side of the body portion of each pad and disposed in theplanes of and engaged by the intersections of the strips of the fillerabove.

TORRIS H. ALFREDS.

